Anyone else thinking about pie? I’ve been gathering stories for my Luscious Legacy Project and this one popped into my head in the grocery store as I tossed this gorgeous little cooking pumpkin into the cart. I wasn’t planning to make a pie. I was planning to indulge in my favorite pumpkin pudding but I have a feeling this one is going to turn into a pie. Why? Because just picking up that pumpkin reminded me of a story.
My mother made the pumpkin pies for our holiday meals. I didn’t care much for pumpkin pie when I was a child. I didn’t like the color. I didn’t like the mouth feel. And, they just didn’t hold a candle to my grandmother’s apple or lemon meringue pies. I left the pumpkin pies to other family members (who liked the color orange) and I feasted on Grandma’s pies.
Fast forward. I was 21 when I encountered my first bite of REAL pumpkin pie. This one was created by my former mother in law who made exceptional pies. (Just like Grandma). She used real pumpkin. There’s a difference. Pumpkin pie was no longer that dark, somewhat muddy orange. It had a softer, almost speckled mocha color and the flavor was nothing like the pies I remembered from my childhood. Turns out that for me, there is a huge difference between canned pumpkin and the pumpkin you extract from the actual pumpkin.
What do you say? Would you try it? You can even swap out the evaporated milk and use Brazil nut milk if you’re dairy-free.
Jeanette’s REAL Pumpkin Pie Filling
2 eggs
2 cups mashed pumpkin (moisture removed with cheesecloth, if necessary)
1/2 cup raw cane sugar (fine grain)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk, heavy cream, or Brazil nut milk
Combine all ingredients and pour into a 9 inch pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 60-70 minutes. Or, pour pumpkin batter into a pie dish alone and enjoy a pumpkin pie minus the crust. Yum.
Okay, your turn. Do you have a favorite pie or story you’d like to share? And speaking of stories and pies, you might enjoy this book, too.
24 thoughts on “The Perfect Pumpkin Pie”
Your blog post about pumpkin pie made me remember the Christmas when my husband declared that we should try something new. He then bought a lot of sweet potatoes and made his first ever pie! He loves to cook but is not very interested in making pies and bread so just by making the pie it was a big thing. I do not remember the recipe – he probably googled it :-). The pie was tasty but we couldn´t figure out what to do with the rest of the sweet potatoes…
I love that story, Carina. I just made this pie tonight minus the crust at it smells delicious! There’s nothing like REAL pumpkin.
Hi Sue Ann, I am glutan intolerant, dairy intolerant, and allergic to all nuts. Also allergic to corn, soy, and so much more… It is a real challenge finding recipes. Can I substitute coconut milk for the brazil tree nut milk?
Absolutely, Peg. Use the full fat coconut milk that comes in a can or make your own. Here’s a simple coconut milk recipe from a blog I adore: http://thehealthyfoodie.com/home-made-coconut-milk/
Let me know how it goes.
Love recipes that ground us in our history. X
Thank you, Penny. Me, too.
Pumpkin pie is my absolute favourite: creamy and spicy and cozy in the mouth. And because of the pumpkin, it almost feels healthy – good for the soul definitely!
I continue to hunt for decent cooking pumpkins; around here, most places stock the big watery ones for Hallowe’en, then give up. (Time for a recon mission to the market, I think!) There are a couple of brands that use 100% pumpkin, as opposed to adding squash, which make a difference to the canned variety.
And to address Peg’s Q above – it works deliciously well with coconut milk.
I’ve had great success with kabocha squash, Cathy. There is very little difference, if any, in the texture so it would make a lovely ‘pumpkin’ pie. I can’t speak for the canned variety as I’ve always made my pumpkin treats from scratch.
I’m in awe.
Pumpkin pie from scratch. I usually buy them at our local grocery store. I’m certain homemade would be exceedingly delicious. I once made a homemade sweet potato and pecan pie…it was unbelievably amazing. I even made the crust from scratch. I have not been able to do it since (and that was 27 years ago). I did try to do the crust thing about 8 years ago and it was a disaster…too much salt I think. (How does anyone put too much salt in anything…somehow…I can).
I’m in awe.
Susan, I haven’t mastered the perfect pie crust either. I love to cook and I have some pretty decent culinary skills in my toolbox, but a pastry chef I’m not! Ha, ha, that’s probably why I like the idea of a crustless pie.
I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a cooking pumpkin. So glad you mentioned it. How can I tell it from the Halloween pumpkins? My daughter’s favorite pie is pumpkin. My former mother-in-law made it every year for Thanksgiving and it was amazing. She also made her pies from scratch.
I’ve been menu planning more and being adventurous in the kitchen so I’d love to try this recipe and make a pie as a gift for my daughter.
P.S. Awesome food photos, btw. Love it!
The cooking pumpkins are generally much smaller and sold in the squash section of the grocery store, though I find squash and pumpkin easily interchangeable in this recipe, particularly kabocha squash. I’ll bet your daughter would love this pie.
P.S. The photo compliment means a whole lot coming from YOU. xxoo
My kids are crazy for pumpkin pie!! Thanksgiving always includes room for that (all weekend). What fun it would be to get them involved in making it from a real pumpkin.
You could do a taste and texture test! Nothing like the vibrant orange color of the REAL thing. The color alone makes it really tough to go back to the can. I’ll be eager to hear how it goes, Susie.
i must say, pumpkin has never been a British thing, I have never had a pumpkin pie! I will try it when I’m next in the states though! I started really enjoying it when I lived in Australia last year, roasted isyum as is soup 🙂 Hope you all had a lovely thanksgiving!
Yes, Farah, I’m learning that from all of my British friends. I love exchanging traditions!
This is a great post Sue, my favorite pies were my mother’s she too was a pie making expert, people traveled from far and wide to eat pie in her restaurant.My favorites, lemon and coconut cream. Second pie maven my husband’s grandmother, she made a cherry pie like no other. Secret recipe which I acquired before she passed on. She would make me one every time we went to Toronto for a visit. My boys love pumpkin pie {just like their Nana used to make} I use a mixture of pumpkin and kombucha squash also, all from scratch from her original recipe. Memories and food divine combination.
Dana, my husband LOVES cherry pie. Oh how I would love that secret recipe from your husband’s grandmother! xxoo
I have never really gotten into making pies, but my mother-in-law, she makes amazing pies. Every holiday, or any occasion really, you can always count on her making her made from scratch pies. That woman could probably turn anything into a pie and it would be good. I agree that there is a huge difference in pumpkin pies, and any pie, when it is made from scratch with fresh ingredients versus canned.
Oh how I would love to see some of your mother in law’s recipes!
I have a tradition of eating homemade pumpkin pie for breakfast after Thanksgiving. I top the slice with extra freshly whipped cream to ensure that I’m getting my recommended daily allowance of calcium. 😉
I may need to try this recipe. You had me at “brazil nut milk.” *sigh*
My kind of breakfast, Michelle, second only to…chocolate. xxoo
Hi Sue Ann – thank you for the recipe – pumpkin pie is not the norm here in Australia but reading your description and recipe – I so want to try to make one. Thank you for sharing. xx
oh, sue ann . . . if i say pretty please, would you come bake me a pumpkin pie? it’s my absolute favorite, but in recent years it hasn’t been agreeing with my sensitive system. i have a feeling that if it was lovingly prepared with the healthiest of ingredients, my tummy (and my heart) would be happy.